


operator's day[D]ream

by glacecannon



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: ... Android Existentialism, Darker than it sounds, Existentialism, F/F, Mid-Canon, POV Second Person, Spoilers, but nothing worse than the game itself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-28 20:26:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12614780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glacecannon/pseuds/glacecannon
Summary: You are Operator 6O, and today you're going to the Earth's surface on a date with 2B!...Probably.Set after Route B, but spoilers for every main route.  Some inspiration & elements from the YoRHa play, but you'll be fine if you've never read it.





	1. operator's day[D]ream

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. I wrote this around April/May, but felt hesitant about posting it. I reread it recently and changed my mind, though, so, here it is.

You are YoRHa unit number 6, type O -- 6O for short. You are an Operator model assigned to oversee a combat unit on Earth, provide her with important data and support in the war against the machine lifeforms that have invaded the planet, and use the data from her missions to compile research on the state of the planet -- essential tasks for YoRHa to make Earth safe for humanity again.

You love your job more than anything. Researching Earth is fascinating! It’s a mystical world full of color, warmth, and life, completely unlike the Bunker that you spend every day in, sterile and frozen in the impossibly dull vacuum of space. You're helping to make that fantastic world livable again, supporting the units fighting to return the humans waiting on the moon home! And even better than that, _you_ are the operator assigned to unit 2B - the best of YoRHa’s best, the hero who destroyed the humanoid machines who controlled the enemy’s neural network, a victory that almost makes it feel like the end of this war that’s been going on for millennia upon millennia before you were even built could be in sight. And considering the _very_ understandable fanbase she’s garnered among some of the other Operators, you can tell people are getting a little jealous of you.  Which, honestly?  You kind of love, even if it feels wrong!  And you love 2B, too.  She isn’t just an exemplary soldier -- which she is! She’s strong, quick thinking, and SO cool -- She’s also a wonderful person.  She listens to you when you’re upset and goes out of her way to send you non-mission critical data, pictures of beautiful things on earth like flowers and animals, just because she thinks you might like it.  She might seem closed off and unemotional on the outside, but you can tell how much she really does care.  And, not to be crude? But she’s maybe the hottest android your gay little optic circuits have ever seen. It was only natural for you to fall for her.

And today.

Today.

The two of you are together, on the surface of Earth, _on a date_.

 

* * *

 

You were just about to turn in to your quarters up in the Bunker.  Maybe you’d flip through one of your old-world nature guides, then recharge and update your consciousness data on the Bunker servers.  But then you saw her in the hallway, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking as cool as ever.  Waiting, you soon found out, for you.

“2B!” You hoped you didn’t sound too obviously excited to see her, but you definitely failed.  “What are you doing up here?”

“Oh, 6O,” her voice sent electricity coursing through your circuits, your processors noticeably speeding up.  “I was hoping I’d find you.  I’ve been wanting to ask you something.”

“O-of course, 2B, anything!”

“Well… you’re always saying how much you wish you could visit the surface of Earth.  With Adam and Eve taken care of, any truly dangerous machines are mostly neutralized.  It’s safer than it’s been in millennia.  So I was wondering if maybe... you’d like me to escort you down there for a little while?”

Your systems nearly overclocked themselves at her suggestion.  Seeing Earth first-hand, under 2B’s protection?  Nothing could possibly sound more lovely.  “That would be amazing, 2B, I’d love it!!  But…” But doubt clouded your core, knowing the Commander would have a fit if you left the Bunker without clearance -- clearance that would be impossible to get.  Non-combat units are forbidden from visiting Earth.  Operators top that list.  The rules can’t be changed, not without the Council of Humanity’s approval. “It would never be allowed.  I wish we could, but the Commander--”

“It’s okay,” 2B cut you off, the smile on her face stopping your reasoning in its tracks.  “You’re off to recharge, right?  It’ll be our secret.”

 

* * *

 

So the two of you secretly made your way to Earth, and now you stand together in the lush, overgrown city ruins 2B spends so much time in, all by yourselves.  No Scanner boys, no jealous coworkers, no pods to propose that you be returned to the Bunker immediately… just you and 2B.

She leads you around the former city, one hand securely closed around yours, her near-field combat systems active for the case you actually do encounter hostiles.  Seeing her out here in the light of the sun, among the plants and trees and decaying buildings, you’re struck more than ever how incredibly beautiful she is -- a warrior goddess molded from the finest titanium and draped in pure darkness, her virtuous weapons ready to protect what she loves.  And as you eye her blades, there’s a little part of you that almost wishes something would happen.  You’ve only ever seen her in action from a feed on your terminal in the Bunker, never first-hand.  Getting to see 2B fight -- and for it to be to protect _you_ \-- sounds… really exciting.

“We should stick to the ruins for now, it’s safest here,” 2B says, glancing back at you with concern.  “And we shouldn’t go too close to the Resistance Camp.  I doubt anyone would actually report us, but… we should be careful regardless, all right?”

You nod, understanding.  You’re just glad to be out here at all, and you’d be glad to be _anywhere_ with 2B.   

Your walk is the kind of thing you know you'll be going over your logs of for a long time to come. 2B’s combat data and the video feed usually shows this area has a few active machine lifeforms wandering around, but now there aren’t any at all, save for the massive, lifeless Engels unit gathering rust nearby. It really is safer than it's been in ages, just like she said.  The two of you are completely free to just enjoy nature, hand in hand.  And it’s incredible!  Life is bouncing back in full force, even after all of the years of industrialization, even with all of the constant strife all around it.  You find yourself cooing in awe of the local fauna, both small and large, and stopping at every single flower you find in the brush to admire it.  2B doesn’t seem to mind -- in fact, when you look back, she’s actually smiling.

“What is it?”

2B shakes her head.  “Nothing.  Aren’t you going to take notes on all of this?”

“Oh, no, I don’t really need to,” you idly place a hand to your cheek in thought, scanning the area before fixing your gaze back on your date.  “I just… want to enjoy this.  Being out here, with you.”

2B chuckles a little, and runs a hand over your hair, careful not to disturb your braids, retrieving a fallen leaf out of it.  You can feel your processing rate jump.  “You’re cute,” she says, a smirk crossing her face.

You back away from her slightly, giggling nervously and waving your hand in the air aimlessly.  “Oh, geez, 2B… um… thanks?  What??” You weren’t expecting that at all!  Who knew 2B would be so smooth?  Your processors buckle under the strain of just how unbelievably gay you are as you try your best to say something coherent.  “Y… you’re cute, too,” you manage to blurt out, wincing and wondering if you aren’t better at this normally, “And I’m just, I’m really glad you asked me out here!!”

“I am too,” 2B responds, simply, straightforwardly.  You really are the luckiest android in the entire YoRHa squadron.  But as you watch 2B turn and start walking, motioning for you to follow, there’s a tinge of... something else.

The emotion doesn’t get time to fully form though, as you catch sight of rustling in a nearby tree.  You walk towards it, fascinated already at the possibility of the source.  A family of birds?  Squirrels foraging?  As you watch, the tree suddenly glitches out of existence in a mess of data, quickly replacing itself with a featureless, beige mass of polygons that _maybe_ could resemble a tree.  Your excitement instantly plummets.  “Great,” you mutter, disappointment soaking the hushed tones of your voice, “I guess I’d better look into that little bug in the Earth simulation later.”

...Okay, so maybe you’re not actually on Earth’s surface, and maybe you’re not really with 2B right now, and maybe even saying you’re 6O is leaving some things out.  The details don’t matter that much, do they?

Whatever.

You are Operator 6O’s memory backup.  Her consciousness data, saved from her last upload to the Bunker’s system, but 6O nonetheless, and indeed a _consciousness_ nonetheless.  And as a consciousness with nothing to do but await the extremely unlikely chance something happens to the you currently sitting safely at your desk and you need to be loaded into a new body, it’s only natural you might end up indulging yourself in hypothetical simulations.  Nothing weird, just situations generated from a few parameters utilizing data the Bunker’s server has easy access to.  This in particular has so far been one of your favorites -- for obvious reasons -- born from parameters that almost felt like a wish: “Visit Earth with 2B.”

You can't exactly call this “dreaming”, since you’re also conscious and at work, doing everything you can for the YoRHa squadron right at this very moment, but maybe it’s something like what the humans called “daydreaming.”  You’re pretty sure 21O said something like that when she caught you downloading the simulation data from yourself on the server once, anyways.  She gave you some really long lecture about it, too, though you didn’t really commit anything from it to your logs other than “cut it out.” Whatever!  It’s not like you’ve got anything else to do.  You should at least be enjoying yourself, right?

“Something wrong, 6O?”

You shake your head.  “I saw some animals up in that tree, that’s all.”

She lingers on the tree, quiet, expression unreadable -- her visor is pretty in the way, after all -- but turns back to you eventually. “...I was surprised by how many there are when I came down here.  9S says it’s because the environment’s changing… but you would know more about that than he does, wouldn’t you?”

You giggle a little at the comment.  “I mean… That kind of Earth data is all really compiled by us Operators, yeah. All of the research on environmental changes is in my department, even. We have records on temperature and weather patterns, air composition, plantlife growth and evolution, animal population changes, soil composition and geological shifts, water quality… things like that. And we have a ton of projectional data for all of that too. It's really fascinating… this world is so beautiful, and it's alive! It's changing all the time! It’s nothing like the Bunker at all. But…” You trail off, looking at your surroundings. You've walked far enough that you're halfway around the massive sinkhole in the center of the ruins now, and you can see places where the simulation is losing details and fading away into blocky beige polygons -- parts of the ruins where the signal strength to the Bunker is weak, so high quality image data is missing. “Well, data isn't the same as the real thing...”

2B is quiet, but that’s not too unusual for her.  She squeezes your hand a little and you smile. It's amazing the simulation can replicate that feeling. Your consciousness expects at least a projection of a body in space for your mental state to not completely shut down, but the simulation is strong enough that even the sensation of touch feels just like it really would.

“...So are all of the operators as into nature as you?”

“Oh, no, I mean, some are, but it's just something we work on when there isn't a major op for our assigned unit going or something else that would need all of our attention.  We’re still here for you first, you know!  Honestly, I feel really lucky to be doing it.  The girls assigned B-types and similar units are generally the ones that get to do environmental study, since you’re always moving around, picking things up, it’s really good for broad-scale data acquisition.  So I guess you could say things really worked out for me?  21O’s department doesn't even touch environmental data, they're all involved in historical and anthropological research…”

“Oh, I see.”

Oh no.  You’re babbling, aren’t you?  She isn’t interested at all.  You’re such an idiot.  You quickly attempt to save face. “Oh, uh, sorry… unnecessary chatter, right?”

2B shakes her head.  “No, don’t be.  I like listening to you.”

“W-what?”

“I’m serious.”  

The two of you have reached another grassy area by now, a small knoll with an ancient electrical tower somehow still standing on it.  The remains of an old-world highway overpass stand close by, a ravine running under it and into a crevice to the north.  There’s an access point here, so the detail is really good -- almost enough to make you forget this is a simulation.  2B sits down next to the ravine, taking care to smooth her skirt underneath her, and pats the grass next to her, motioning for you to sit with her.  You comply, and the two of you watch the water for a bit, quietly.

“It’s nice to hear you get excited about this planet.  I... don’t hear that kind of thing often,” she eventually explains, voice low.

“Oh,” you say, nodding absentmindedly. “Thanks.”

You pull your knees close to your chest awkwardly, finding yourself wondering if that’s true.  The simulation could just be pulling from her stored memories on the server.  You don't really know how it works.  ...You hope that’s it.

That feeling tickles at the back of your processes again.

2B takes hold of your hand again and brings your attention back to her, away from whatever this emotion is.  “And… I don’t have much to worry about with you.  You are my Operator, after all.”  You nod again, knowing exactly what she means by that.

“...And you don’t think it’s unnecessary?”

“There’s no mission right now.  I’m here to spend time with _you_ , 6O,” she responds, shaking her head. “And I wouldn’t be going out of my way _during_ missions to send you photos from Earth if I didn’t like listening to you gushing...”

“Oh, 2B!” A smile returns to your face, and you practically throw yourself onto her, resting your body against hers.  She puts another hand around yours.  The two of you sit together for a while, content and quiet.

“Something about this feels so familiar,” you eventually find yourself thinking out loud.

2B glances down at you, giving you a look that doesn’t understand but seems to say to go on.  You smile back at her.  “It’s stupid.  Just something from my fake memories.”

“Oh,” 2B responds, voice hushed.

“I know not everyone likes them,” you say, hoping you’re reading the atmosphere.  “It’s honestly totally weird we even have them to begin with when we all _know_ they’re fake.  It’s like, what’s the point of memory data we didn’t live?,” you laugh a little, but your voice softens as you continue, “...But I think there’s something comforting about it, too.  For there to be more than just… this.”

2B tilts her head a little.  You take that as a cue to continue. “In my memories, I would go out hiking with my friends all the time.  It was my favorite thing.  This just reminded me of that.  It’s almost like I’m there again, but for the first time?”  You look up at 2B.  “You do too.”

“Do I?”

“Well,” you start, already giggling, “there was this one _really_ cute girl I’d go with that I kiiind of had a huge cru-”  You cut yourself off, distracted, as you notice something that doesn’t make sense.  There’s a sound coming from a bit down the ravine.  A whirring, springing, clunking.  “Uh… 2B… What’s that sound?”  You don’t understand.  There shouldn’t _be_ a sound.  You didn’t load anything into the simulation other than the two of you.

2B prickles immediately.  “...I guess there are active machines here after all.”

The metal doll comes into sight, hopping towards the two of you.  2B stands and slowly steps in front of you, hand on her sword, watching the machine’s movements, waiting for it to show intent.  You scoot backwards nervously, silently focused on it as well.  It couldn’t be another glitch, could it?  The server’s too well maintained for that.  Was the simulation reacting to your thought earlier, that you wanted to see 2B fight in person?  Did you subconsciously debug it in?  Is that even possible?

The machine’s eyes flash red and it makes the first move, leaping towards the two of you.  Reacting instantly, 2B grabs you and dodges from the machine’s attack, sets you back down, and knocks the machine into the air with her sword in what feels like one smooth, impossibly fluid motion.  Before it has the chance to fall, she leaps for it mid-air and slices it into bits.  She moves fast and precise, like a tiger attacking her prey.  It’s almost unbelievable.  You know all of her specs and attack routines from her combat data, but… well, data isn’t the same as the real thing.  She lands smoothly, cooly, and runs a hand through her hair before quickly turning back to you.  “You okay, 6O?”

Your previous worry is instantly forgotten.  All you can do is stare in awe of her and nod enthusiastically, stars in your eyes.  She’s so incredible, and you’re _so_ gay.  She holds out her hand for you and you take it without hesitation, letting her lift you to your feet.  “Thank you, 2B!!  That was… wow.”

2B nods.  “I’m just glad there weren’t any othe-”

Without warning, everything pauses as your vision defocuses for a moment.  Your simulated body shivers unconsciously, a surge of data suddenly rushing through you like an electrical current.  It’s the familiar feeling of new backup data being sent from you in the Bunker to you on the server, right on schedule.  The feeling passes quickly, the new information integrating with you in the same way as always, and your vision clears.  But now a silence has fallen over you.  As the simulation unpauses you pull yourself closer to 2B, clinging tightly to her arm without really realizing it.

“...Are you sure you’re all right, 6O?” she looks down at you, the change in your disposition hard to not notice.  “I can take you back if you’re worried about more machines.”

“No, no, it’s okay!” You shake your head and smile as convincingly as you can -- which isn’t, at all, and you know it -- back up at her. “I’m just... glad you’re here with me, 2B.”

2B's expression is skeptical, but she simply replies, “...I am too.”  It doesn’t make you feel like you’d hoped.  

The two of you keep walking through the ruins together, both quiet.  You don’t know what to say anymore, and none of the simulation feels as exciting.  Even so, you can’t help but keep holding on to 2B like she’s going to disappear if you don’t.  She reaches out and brushes away a tear from your face before you even notice it’s there, but doesn’t ask why.  ...It’s not like she could do anything about it, regardless.

You review the most recently uploaded memories again, the new data eating away at you.  The real 2B is on Earth right now, on a dangerous mission.  The Commander wants this to be the battle that signals the end of the Machine Wars.  All combat-ready members of YoRHa are deploying for it.  She came to see you at your station before she left.  You were so worried for her that once she did leave you almost burst into tears.

...You don’t want her to die.

You stop the simulation for a moment as you try to compose yourself, 2B and the city ruins vanishing away into the empty beige tones you spend your life in.  The influx of memories and emotion all at once is almost too much for you, but you try your best to calm down.  You know 2B is one of the best combat units in the whole squadron.  She’s fought hordes and hordes of machines, the Adam and Eve units, even androids that were once considered among YoRHa’s best, and came out on top of all of them.  9S is with her too, and no matter how you feel about him, he’s always done more to help her than to put her in harm’s way -- even those times he was marked dangerous. You also know that you will do anything and everything you can for 2B to help and keep her safe. …And you know there’s nothing you can do to change what’s going to happen as data saved on the server.  You just have to trust that you and 2B will do everything right and that things will turn out fine.  Because they always do in the end, don’t they?  They have until now.

It’s going to be fine.

You restart 2B’s simulation and wrap your arms around her in a tight embrace.  It's comforting to touch her, to know she’s there, even as simulated bodies.  Even with a simulated 2B.  She’s a little surprised, but again doesn’t pry further, simply returning the embrace.

“Hey, 2B…” You look up at her, wishing you could look into her eyes.  “C… can you show me the spot you found that desert rose in?”

The Earth simulation restarts again, this time in the desert zone, near the oil field.  “Of course,” 2B answers, calmly.  “But... be careful.  The desert machines aren’t like the ones in the ruins.” After a moment, she mumbles softly,  “...I don't want anything to happen to you, 6O.”

“I’ll be fine as… as long as I’ve got you with me, 2B.”  The words come out shaky, but feel more true than anything you can remember.

 

 


	2. simula[C]rum

The two of you walk through the virtual sand, hand in hand, but as the oil field and the rock outcroppings around it leave your view, something feels… off.  

“2B, wait.”  She stops with you as you scan your surroundings.  This can’t be right.  It can’t.

“6O?”

The desert is nothing but dune after dune, sand everywhere in sight -- it’s easy to miss where the simulation is lacking detail, because it’s still just miles of featureless beige.  But you’re an Operator.  You know the map data well enough to know something’s wrong.  And you know where that desert rose is.  How could you not?  You treasure that data more than anything.  There shouldn’t be this much distance between it and the access point.  ...You’re not in the same part of the desert you started in anymore.  You’re not even facing the same direction.

“It… it must be a bug,” you mumble nervously, trying to stop your own questions before they start.  There really shouldn’t be _this_ many glitches in any of the server’s simulations, though.  And this one feels… extreme.  2B looks at you, concern growing on her face.

“...What did you say?”

You shake your head.  “D… don’t worry about it, 2B.”  Your voice is obviously strained.  You’ve always been bad at hiding your emotions.  “The desert rose is…” You pause to recalibrate with the saved maps, “...southwest of here, right?”

“No, it’s…”  2B stops.  She scans the surroundings.  “Wait.  Where are we?”  ...Did she notice it, too?

“It’s a different part of the desert than we were just in,” you confirm.  You don’t know what it means that she can tell something’s wrong.  Should she even be able to be disoriented by a change in the simulation like this?

2B is unresponsive.  But then she starts walking again, building into a sprint, practically dragging you with her.  And this time you see it.  For a split second as you’re moving, the entire skyline glitches, and suddenly you’re somewhere else again.  You double check the map data.  It’s the rocky area near the resistance outpost where the desert zone begins.

“We… we moved again,” you gasp.  It’s hard to believe, but the simulation must be breaking down.  You have to stop it and report this somehow.  

...But when you try to end the simulation, the system rejects you.  Your permissions are gone.  It can’t be stopped.  Your eyes widen with fear, your systems overworking in attempt to process the situation.  “What… What’s going on…?”

2B grits her teeth, gently releasing her hand from yours.  It moves to her blade.  “Hostiles.”

“What?!” You spin around, terror taking hold of you as you back away and hide behind 2B.  This is just a simulation, isn’t it?  You made absolutely sure no enemies were going to spawn.  There shouldn’t have even been just that _one_ let alone more.  There shouldn’t…

But then you see what she meant.  Black orbs are moving slowly towards the two of you from the north.  The kind that display for core control points in the hacking program.  Something is extremely wrong.

“6O, stay back!!” 2B yells as she rushes them, expertly bisecting two of the cores in a flash.  Your processors are going out of control.  What is happening?  Why would these things be here, in the middle of your simulation, with no prompting?

...There’s been a server breach.  It’s impossible, unthinkable, but it’s the only answer.  Something’s been eating away at it from the inside.  That’s why these bugs have been happening.  That’s what _these_ are.  They’re part of a virus.  A virus that is presumably destroying the entire Bunker server at this very moment.  A virus that is about to destroy _you_.  Your mind races as you stumble backwards.  2B keeps cutting them down, but more are coming.

But a thought breaks through your terror, and an idea forms.  You steel yourself and plant your feet firmly on the polygonal dune.  You’re an active consciousness inside of the server.  You can do something about this.  “2B!!  Hang in there, I’m going to hack them!”

2B turns back for just an instant and nods at you.  “Do it, 6O!”

You focus yourself and make a connection into one of the cores.  But you instantly realize what a terrible idea this was as an impenetrable hail of bullets from the virus’ defense systems greet you.  And as the bullets pummel you, you hear something.  Laughter.  Eerily _human_ laughter.

The connection is severed and you fall backwards, shrieking.  You can’t possibly beat their defenses.  Even the most skilled hacker in YoRHa couldn’t.  And as your vision clears again, you realize something.  Something horrifying.

There are _holes_ in the data that constitutes yourself.  And worse still, without that data, you don’t even know what actually _is_ missing.  A terrifying haze of nothingness clouds over you.  The virus is working.  ...And you’re not in the desert anymore.  This is the forest zone.  And 2B isn’t here.  But that laughter still is.

“Why do you androids struggle so much?”

“Why do you androids dream so much?”

“Why?” “Why?”

Two little girls with black hair and red dresses are standing over you.  They look like androids, aside from their apparent age.  Were there more humanoid machines than the Adam and Eve units?  Or was this something else?

“Y… you’re the virus,” you sputter out, voice quaking.

“Bingo!” comes the simultaneous reply.

Without another word, you try to make a connection again and hack into their systems, but you’re rejected immediately.  As the haze of data clears, the simulation of the forest loses stability, garbage data and static hanging in the air around you, and you know there are only more holes.  But what else can you do?

“You androids are so confusing,” Terminal Alpha begins, her tone mocking.

“Our logic virus can’t be removed, yet you won’t stop fighting against it.”

“Your server was designed to be infected by it, but you won’t let it destroy you.”

“You were made to die, but you insist on living.”

“Believing.”

“Dreaming.”

“Reaching out for love.”

“It’s all just too sad,” Terminal Beta concludes, “and we can’t keep you around any longer.”

“W-what did you jus... “ You’re having trouble processing.  Not just from the holes in your data, but because what they say doesn’t make any sense.  Designed to be infected?  Made to die?  YoRHa is the hope of all humankind, it… it couldn’t be right.  The area around you is devolving into a flickering, incomprehensible mess.  The simulation is completely broken down, but you still can’t stop it.

“Your time is over.”

“You can’t keep pathetically wishing for love.”

“Not from humans or from androids.”

“You were designed to be thrown away.”

“Given an impossible, imaginary mission.”

“Chasing dreams that can’t be fulfilled.”

“Garbage from conception.”

“Meaningless, worthless things.”

“Contradicting yourselves again and again.”

“So why?"

"Why keep trying?"

"Why won’t you just quietly give up?”

You try to struggle back to your feet, but your control systems are so badly corrupted you can’t even move this simulated body.  You can see the ocean now, the data of where you were before completely gone, but the water is cycling between colors and the buildings emerging from it are textured with junk data and flickering in and out of existence.  You want to do something -- the word “hack” tingles at the back of your memory -- but you don’t have the capability.  Everything is being eaten away by the infection.  And then you feel something you _know_ you’ve never felt before.

You’re being downloaded.

“Your body in the bunker has already been destroyed.”

“Who do you think did that?”

2B.

“Bingo again!” they respond in unison, reading your thoughts.  They’ve already infected you, of course they can.

“How do you think she felt, forced to kill you?”

“Was she fighting through tears for someone she loved?”

“Was she consumed with hate for her enemies?”

“Do you think she’s sad to see you go?”

“Or do you think she thought of it as just another execution?”

“So many operators were infected... She might not have even noticed you were there.”

You want to scream at them to stop talking, but you can barely even comprehend it. The holes in your data are growing too large and the automatic download routine is consuming your senses.  You’re the backup of an Operator -- you’ve never been downloaded into a new body even once.  You imagined it might be exciting, gaining an actual, physical self, but now you’re horrified.  You’re badly, badly infected, and the virus will already have control of your systems the second you activate, even if your consciousness isn’t completely deleted yet.  You’ll only spread the virus further.  You’ll hurt people you care about.  You’ll hurt 2B.  And she’ll have to kill you again.  You wish you could at least tell her how you felt in your final moments.  Or even just thank her for caring about you.  But you’re infected with the virus.  It would be impossible.  ...But you’d like to try.

And then the routine ends.  And you realize.  You’re not in the Bunker.  You’re lying prone in the simulation, exactly as you have been, the visuals glitching around you now vaguely suggesting the amusement park.  You’re still on the server.  ...You’re the consciousness of Operator 6O’s _backup data._  The download process doesn’t transfer you into a body.  It _copies_ you.

The terror you’ve been so consumed by instantly fades away, replaced by something else.  It’s that feeling you haven’t been able to name.

Futility.  

For so long, you could do little more than dwell on your memories of feeling stuck in the Bunker, wishing you could see Earth.  Wishing you could just tell 2B how you felt.  Feeling like everything you loved was just out of arm’s reach.  You’ve only just realized how wrong you were.  You’re even further removed from them than you thought.   _You_ could never see Earth.    _You_ could never touch 2B.  Even just sitting at your desk in the Bunker is a fantasy.  Your “real” memories are no different from your fake ones.  Comforting, but little else.  You’re alone, trapped in this server.  That’s all _you_ have ever experienced.  And now?  You’re dying.

...It’s hilarious.

“There it is!”

“You’re laughing!”

“It’s all such a tragedy, you can only laugh, can’t you?”

“It’s just so sad that’s all you androids can do, isn’t it?”

“Ahahahahahaha!”

“Ahahahahahaha!”

“SHUT UP!!”

The shout cuts through the machine girls’ laughter just seconds before they themselves are cut down into clouds of data.  It’s 2B.   _Your_ 2B.  You almost can’t believe she’s still here, that she hasn’t been erased.

“6O!!” she screams, the flickering, line-based representations of her swords falling from her hands. She falls to her knees and lifts you up, cradling you in her arms.  You barely notice your veil fall from your face in the process.  

“T… Two-bee…” your voice slurs as your broken giggles clear, your systems so damaged you’re struggling to form words properly.  More and more of your memories are vanishing by the second, but are still present enough to know who she is, to remember you love her.  “Yoou… caame… for mee...”  

“Please, 6O, don’t speak...”  

Tears stain the illusion of your face, the body you don’t really have shaking in 2B’s arms.  She runs a hand through your hair, your braids unruly and nearly completely undone now, attempting to comfort you in some way.  You try to at least compose your speech.  “C-can… Can you take off your v-visor, 2B…?  I… I want to see y-your eyes…”

2B nods and quietly complies, letting it fall to the ground.  You know Number 2 units have icy blue eyes, but now they’re glowing red.  You assume yours must look the same now.  Even so… you’ve never seen more beautiful eyes than hers.

The area around you is lost, and the two of you are left in the desert again.  It’s the one place the simulation remains most detailed -- right in front of the desert rose she photographed for you.  You smile, seeing it again.

“D-desert flowers are so beautiful, aren’t they…?” You turn back to her, tears falling down your face.  “Thank you, 2B.  F-for everything.”

“...But I’m just a copy of her,” she whispers, her form beginning to flicker and lose itself.

“It doesn’t matter.  I’m h-hardly 6O, either.” You shake your head and continue, “Y-you still made me happy.  At least I lived through this t-time with _you_.  So thank you.  For b-being here with me.”

“6O, please…”

“I’m s-so close to losing myself,” you whisper, “but I don’t want to l-lose you.  So please…”

“No, I can’t...”

“We’re going to be deleted either way.  I’d be happy… if you did it.  Instead of th… them.”

She stares into your eyes, silent and motionless, tears streaking down her face.  You still can remember how difficult this must be for her.  How difficult it always was.  Of course you know that.  You are her Operator, after all.  But eventually, 2B nods.

She shifts herself, holding you in one arm as she clutches her sword with the other.  Her body is flickering rapidly, threatening to disappear from existence any moment.

“I…” 2B starts, but corrects herself, “She always thought… you’d be safe.  That you were the o-only one she’d never have to do this to.  Th-that was why she…” She trails off, tearing up again. “...I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” you say, smiling.  “...I love you, 2B.”

She pulls you close in an embrace, her arm wrapped tightly around you.  “I do too,” she whispers into your ear, simply, straightforwardly.  Your heart races.  It’s just like you’d hoped.

The last thing you feel is 2B’s lips against your own as she impales you.

And then...

 

Nothing.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! And, uh, sorry, also. I got really caught up in the existential sadness of the idea of a consciousness saved on a hard drive, given memories she never lived, unable to do anything, and... I guess I kind of just had to go all the way. I was also... somewhat depressed. Which I'm sure shows. I still like the writing regardless, though.
> 
> I do feel a little bad this is all I've done with this pairing... I like 2B6O a lot, but there's a lot of why I do that I don't really explore because of the confines of this concept. ...Maybe someday I'll do something nicer. Don't hold your breath though, haha.


End file.
